A Kingdom for the Merciful and the Pure in Heart
For Meditation (corey Widmer)
Throughout the Bible, one of the most frequent descriptions of God is "merciful." The Lord is the "compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and mercy" (Exodus 34:6). The Lord "will turn from his fierce anger, he will show mercy and have compassion for you" (Deut 13:7). Hosea exclaims, "Who is a God like you, who pardons sins…and delights to show mercy?" (Hosea 7:18). And in the person of Jesus Christ, we see an incarnate God who is rich in mercy toward all who need forgiveness and healing.
So it is not surprising that Jesus says the "good life" is for the merciful, those who in their attitude and behavior reflect the mercy of God to the people around them. But what does it mean to be merciful? How do we show mercy especially when we are immersed in a culture of retribution?
This beatitude leads fluidly into the following one, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." The "pure in heart" are not those who are morally flawless, but those who know their hearts are "prone to wander" yet have a single minded focus on God and his grace. We can never do acts of mercy with completely pure motivations, but the pure in heart know this about themselves and continue to look to God for his mercy.
As you prepare for worship this week, consider the following questions:
What do you think is a good definition of mercy?
When you think of mercy, is there a particular story in the Bible that comes to mind?
What do you think Jesus means when he says the pure in heart will "see" God?
Matthew 5:1–8
1 Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them.
He said:
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.